A Mother Thanks A Father

As we celebrate Father’s Day each year, I want to write about the importance of fathers. I looked through a few books I have on fathering. I thought of advice I could give to fathers. I thought about my own father and the example he set for me. But then I thought about my kids and how well they have turned out (ages 25 & 22). I realized I could not take credit for who they are today - because I was not the only one who raised them. So I decided to write a thank-you letter to the man who was a father to my children. I hope you get a blessing from this.

Thank you, first and foremost, for wanting to be a father from the start.

Thank you for loving our kids and letting them know you loved them.

Thank you for spending time with them often, and enjoying it.

Thank you for your endless patience with them when they made mistakes.

Thank you for taking them to the park to fly kites or their remote control plane, instead of going to the golf course.

Thank you for spending countless hours with them helping with homework (especially math).

Thank you for cooking dinner for them when I worked late.

Thank you for teaching them how to cook.

Thank you for working so hard to provide for our family.

Thank you for all your early morning calls from the office because you wanted to hear the sounds of breakfast at home.

Thank you for taking the kids out for donuts on the weekends.

Thank you for coaching soccer, basketball & baseball - and being a great example of what a coach should be.

Thank you for attending countless school & theatre events with enthusiasm.

Thank you for instilling in the kids a love for animals (especially dogs!).

Thank you for being the kids’ best cheerleader no matter what they attempted to do.

Thank you for loving their mother (me)!

Thank you for teaching the kids about God and setting such a great example of what a father is.

My children had the best dad in the world. Unfortunately, they lost their dad too early (to cancer). Yet their dad still took the time to bless them and encourage them before he died. I know they would give anything to have him back in their lives right now.

To all you dads out there, hug your children. Let them know how much you love and adore them, no matter what they do (or don’t do). Be their example of what a father should be. Spend time with them. Listen to them. Take them to church and teach them about our Heavenly Father. If you do these things, your children will be blessed.

                                              Adam, Courtney, John (Dad), and Sprite